Vpi aries with Benz L-2 cartridge

taters-You don't need to buy anything to check the speed. A download-and-print strobe is available here:

http://www.conradhoffman.com/chsw.htm

and any light source will work-fluorescent works best, but incandescent works also. The main advantage of the 100.00 KAB is that it doesn't rely on your home AC-generated 60hz frequency which may be (very) slightly off. If the strobe shows that the speed is off, you can make slight corrections without a SDS by moviing the belt up or down the motor pulley-it's slightly graduated in size for this specific purpose.

***The cartridge is fine. I haven't checked the speed yet. What would I need to check the speed?***

As a VPI Aries II owner, I concur with the other suggestions made about checking the speed of your turntable. For what it's worth, I've found the following to be excellent upgrades to my Aries: SDS and Ginkgo Cloud 11 isolation platform. The SDS really is critical for best performance on VPI tables. The Dynavector Karat 17d2 cartridge seems to match very well with this rig.

Good luck!

It's the table and it's inherent design. You can buy any cartridge you can afford and might sound good on your VPI, try it on a Lenco and it will sound better. Had a direct access to my friend's VPI Superscoutmaster for 3 months. He never like the sound even with Koetsu, Dynavector, and Airtight. He bought a Rek-O-Kut and move on to the Garrard 401.

Just my experience.

It's possible that an 'idler' might be more to the OP's liking, but I'd sure not recommend a Lenco, if for no other reason he'll be forever linked to 'Jean Nantais-The Analog Blowhard', and his crew of toadies over on Home Despot-but then there's also the Lenco's stamped steel chassis, cheap build quality, etc. to further disqualify it.

Your friend's order of progression is the correct one-start with Rek-O-Kut, end with Garrard (or a Saskia, if the OP is wealthy).

Taters, I said earlier that you must have enjoyed the table at one time. If so, that means something has changed. Sometimes we just want to make a change. There is certainly nothing wrong with that. My advice is to be sure it is working properly before throwing money and going on the quest for something different. Good luck.